Back يوهيميروس Arabic يوهيميروس ARZ اوهمروس AZB Евхемер Bulgarian Euhemeros Breton Evèmer Catalan Euhémeros Czech Euhemeros German Ευήμερος ο Μεσσήνιος Greek Evemero Esperanto
Euhemerus | |
|---|---|
| Born | Fourth century BC Messene (now Messina), Sicily |
| Died | Third century BC |
| Occupation | Writer, philosopher, mythographer, historian |
| Nationality | Greek |
Euhemerus (/juːˈhiːmərəs, -hɛm-/; also spelled Euemeros or Evemerus; Ancient Greek: Εὐήμερος Euhēmeros, "happy; prosperous"; late fourth century BC) was a Greek mythographer at the court of Cassander, the king of Macedon. Euhemerus' birthplace is disputed, with Messina in Sicily as the most probable location, while others suggest Chios or Tegea.[citation needed]
The philosophy attributed to and named for Euhemerus, euhemerism, holds that many mythological tales can be attributed to historical persons and events, the accounts of which have become altered and exaggerated over time.
Euhemerus's work combined elements of fiction and political utopianism. Early Christian writers, such as Lactantius, used Euhemerus's belief that the ancient gods were originally human to confirm their inferiority regarding the Christian God.[citation needed]